Not many students come to the MIT Sloan School of Management with three job offers to chose from. However, Moez Gharbi, a student in the Master of Science in Management Studies program (MSMS) at MIT Sloan ran into just that situation after he completed his degree from HEC Paris.
Gharbi spent a gap year before coming to MIT Sloan, and in that short time he had three different investment banking internships. The work load was extreme at times, as he was often working 16-18 hours a day and on weekends. “I learned so much about finance. It helped me with difficult situations that I would not have otherwise experienced. I had to mature fast, but I also built a lot of good relationships along the way,” says Gharbi, 23.
While at HEC Paris, Gharbi learned about the MSMS program. He knew the program would be the best fit to help him define and achieve his long-term career goals. Shortly after he arrived on campus, Moez sought out Chris Bolzan in the Career Development Office for advice on how to turn down two job offers and maximize his chances to get the job he wanted in private equity. “She did an amazing job in helping me handle the process with banks and The Blackstone Group. Her advice was very valuable to me and allowed me to get an offer from Blackstone’s Private Equity team in London while keeping an excellent relationship with the banks where I interned,” he notes.
Gharbi does not regret his decision to attend MIT Sloan, and is finding his classes “extremely useful.” “Kevin Rock’s Advanced Corporate Finance class was amazing. The cases were realistic and were about strategy and how you should think as a manager and as an investor — which is perfect for what I want to do. I also really enjoyed Business Analysis and Valuation with Christopher Noe, Basic Business Law for the Entrepreneur and Manager, taught by John Akula, and Advanced Strategic Management with Michael Cusumano,” he says.
Gharbi plans to write his thesis on “The Challenges and Opportunities in the Tunisian Private Equity Sector” and discusses the project often with his thesis advisor, Deputy Dean S.P. Kothari. In the future, he would like to start a private equity company in Tunisia. “Contributing to the private sector attracts more capital and investors to help the country grow. After years of corruption in Tunisia, it is now a safe environment to invest in and grow companies,” he says.
He began working on his thesis over MIT's January Independent Activities Period break in Tunisia, while also spending time in London attending a conference on private equity, and in Paris networking. He also plans to work with Elyes Jouini, a well-known Tunisian economist, and former minister of finance in Tunisia, on a book about the economic and social reforms in Tunisia.
Gharbi will start his job with The Blackstone Group in July. While on campus, he is spending his free time exploring the city, attending Boston Symphony Orchestra concerts, and getting to know his MSMS classmates better. “I want to leverage my experience here and take advantage of it. I’m very grateful to everyone who has helped me, especially Julia Sargeaunt from the MSMS program office. I’ve had some great opportunities and tried to make some great things happen,” he says, adding, “I’m also trying to take advantage of being very lucky.”
Gharbi spent a gap year before coming to MIT Sloan, and in that short time he had three different investment banking internships. The work load was extreme at times, as he was often working 16-18 hours a day and on weekends. “I learned so much about finance. It helped me with difficult situations that I would not have otherwise experienced. I had to mature fast, but I also built a lot of good relationships along the way,” says Gharbi, 23.
While at HEC Paris, Gharbi learned about the MSMS program. He knew the program would be the best fit to help him define and achieve his long-term career goals. Shortly after he arrived on campus, Moez sought out Chris Bolzan in the Career Development Office for advice on how to turn down two job offers and maximize his chances to get the job he wanted in private equity. “She did an amazing job in helping me handle the process with banks and The Blackstone Group. Her advice was very valuable to me and allowed me to get an offer from Blackstone’s Private Equity team in London while keeping an excellent relationship with the banks where I interned,” he notes.
Gharbi does not regret his decision to attend MIT Sloan, and is finding his classes “extremely useful.” “Kevin Rock’s Advanced Corporate Finance class was amazing. The cases were realistic and were about strategy and how you should think as a manager and as an investor — which is perfect for what I want to do. I also really enjoyed Business Analysis and Valuation with Christopher Noe, Basic Business Law for the Entrepreneur and Manager, taught by John Akula, and Advanced Strategic Management with Michael Cusumano,” he says.
Gharbi plans to write his thesis on “The Challenges and Opportunities in the Tunisian Private Equity Sector” and discusses the project often with his thesis advisor, Deputy Dean S.P. Kothari. In the future, he would like to start a private equity company in Tunisia. “Contributing to the private sector attracts more capital and investors to help the country grow. After years of corruption in Tunisia, it is now a safe environment to invest in and grow companies,” he says.
He began working on his thesis over MIT's January Independent Activities Period break in Tunisia, while also spending time in London attending a conference on private equity, and in Paris networking. He also plans to work with Elyes Jouini, a well-known Tunisian economist, and former minister of finance in Tunisia, on a book about the economic and social reforms in Tunisia.
Gharbi will start his job with The Blackstone Group in July. While on campus, he is spending his free time exploring the city, attending Boston Symphony Orchestra concerts, and getting to know his MSMS classmates better. “I want to leverage my experience here and take advantage of it. I’m very grateful to everyone who has helped me, especially Julia Sargeaunt from the MSMS program office. I’ve had some great opportunities and tried to make some great things happen,” he says, adding, “I’m also trying to take advantage of being very lucky.”
